The Philosophical Significance of God's Rewarding in Material and Spiritual Life
The Supreme Lord's system of rewarding the living entities is a perfect manifestation of both divine justice and boundless mercy, as He responds to every soul perfectly according to their consciousness and desires. Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches whether one seeks temporary material enjoyment, impersonal liberation, or pure devotional service, the Lord reciprocates accordingly, yet the nature of these rewards varies dramatically based on the spiritual understanding of the recipient. As confirmed in essential scriptures like Bhagavad-gītā 4.11, the Absolute Truth acts as the ultimate well-wisher for all living beings, gently guiding and encouraging them through His divine reciprocation to eventually seek the highest, eternal reward of loving devotional service.
Teachings Overview:
The teachings regarding the Supreme Lord's rewarding process illustrate that God is the supreme controller who perfectly reciprocates with the desires and actions of every living entity. From fulfilling basic material desires to offering the supreme gift of eternal loving association, the Lord's system of divine justice and mercy ensures that everyone receives exactly what they are qualified for, ultimately elevating them toward pure devotion.
Key Teachings:
- The Supreme Lord universally rewards all living entities strictly according to their degree of surrender.
- While fruitive workers and demons receive temporary gains, devotees receive the supreme reward of eternal spiritual life.
- The Lord sometimes seemingly removes a devotee's material possessions as a special favor to increase their spiritual dependence.
- God is absolute and always good; whether He appears to cheat or reward materially, His actions aim at the soul's ultimate benefit.
The Principle of Reward According to Surrender
The Supreme Lord explicitly states that He rewards everyone universally according to their degree of surrender, establishing a divine law that applies to all living entities regardless of their position. As Śrīla Prabhupāda thoughtfully explains, this principle ensures that every action receives an appropriate reaction, while still making the Lord's supreme mercy fully available to those who approach Him with a sincere heart.
Reciprocating with the Surrendered Soul
"All of them-as they surrender unto Me-I reward accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Prtha."
Śrīla Prabhupāda notes the absolute principle of divine reciprocation.
"In the Bhagavad-gita (BG 4.11) the Lord says, ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham - I reward everyone according to his surrender unto Me."
Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies how the Lord personally rewards everyone.
"The Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, may be realized in different stages. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (BG 4.11): As men surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly."
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains the stages of realizing the Absolute Truth.
"This mantra of Sri Isopanisad uses the very appropriate word yathatathyatah, indicating that the Lord rewards the living entities just in pursuance of their desires."
Śrīla Prabhupāda reveals how the Lord fulfills the exact desires of the living beings.
Distinct Rewards for Devotees and Demons
While demons and fruitive workers may receive temporary material benefits or impersonal liberation, the pure devotees are exclusively rewarded with eternal devotional service in the spiritual planets. This clear distinction, as Śrīla Prabhupāda highlights, reveals the Lord's perfect justice, fulfilling all desires while simultaneously reserving the highest perfection for those who seek His loving association.
The Superior Destination of Devotees
"After attaining sayujya-mukti, the demons are sometimes promoted to the Vaikuntha world, where they receive the reward of the Lord's garland prasada."
Śrīla Prabhupāda mentions the specific spiritual rewards occasionally granted to demons.
"As long as the living entity is in material existence, actions performed by him are rewarded in the next life, or even in the present life. Similarly, in his spiritual life also actions are rewarded by the Lord by the five kinds of liberation."
Śrīla Prabhupāda contrasts the reactions of material actions with spiritual rewards.
"Even if the devotee were offered such rewards (such as live on the same planet with the Supreme Lord, having the same form or opulence as the Lord, to live with Him side by side or to merge into His existence) by the Lord, he would reject them."
Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes the pure devotee's rejection of standard liberations.
"The fact is that devotees who are always engaged in devotional service in transcendental love are rewarded 100s and 1,000s of times more than the demons by being elevated to the spiritual planets, where they remain with God in eternal, blissful existence."
Śrīla Prabhupāda contrasts the ultimate destinations of demons and transcendental devotees.
The Special Favor of Removing Material Possessions
Sometimes the Lord purposefully takes away the material possessions of His devotee as the first installment of His special favor. Śrīla Prabhupāda assures us that though this may appear outwardly as a loss, it actually strengthens the devotee's pure dependence on the Lord and leads to far greater, unimaginable spiritual rewards.
The Blessing of Material Loss
"As the first installment of His special favor, the Lord takes away all the possessions of His devotee. A devotee, however, is never disturbed by such a loss. He continues his service and the Lord amply rewards him, beyond the expectations of any common man."
Śrīla Prabhupāda describes how the Lord rewards His devotees with unexpected opulence.
"If we offer something to Lord, oh, that is rewarded in many millions of times. So we should not expect. The Lord is always serious to return the service of the servant, of His devotee."
Śrīla Prabhupāda encourages sincere offerings, which the Lord multiplies millions of times.
The Supreme Goodness of Divine Justice
Whether the Lord appears to cheat or reward materially, He is always absolute and universally good. This profound understanding, as Śrīla Prabhupāda elucidates, reveals that the Lord's actions are never arbitrary; they are the acts of supreme intelligence responding to our desires and gracefully guiding us toward our ultimate, eternal benefit.
The Perfection of God's Management
"By His (God's) superior intelligence, the Lord gives everyone the chance to fulfill his desires to the fullest extent, and the resultant reaction is also awarded by the Lord."
Śrīla Prabhupāda points out the superior intelligence of the Lord's rewarding system.
"He (God) rewards the reactions of our actions by placing us in some particular place."
Śrīla Prabhupāda instructs on how karma dictates our future placement.
"He (Lord Ramacandra) rewarded the administrative demigods by effective weapons to conquer the demons through the agency of Visvamitra."
Śrīla Prabhupāda details Lord Rāmacandra's pastimes of rewarding the demigods.
"It is said that God is good, and this is a fact. Whether He cheats or rewards, He is always good. Bali Maharaja therefore addressed Him as Uttamasloka."
Śrīla Prabhupāda reveals that God is unconditionally good in all His actions.
"Predestiny is there but it is cancelled if you surrender to Him, otherwise God is not the controller. Theirs is like karma mimamsa philosophy, that God is our servant and He must reward me according to my activities."
Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that complete surrender to the Lord cancels predestiny.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Lord decide how to reward the living entities?
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the Supreme Lord perfectly reciprocates with everyone, rewarding them strictly according to their degree of surrender unto Him.
What is the difference between the rewards received by devotees and demons?
Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that pure devotees are rewarded hundreds and thousands of times more than demons, ultimately being elevated to the spiritual planets to remain with God eternally.
Why does the Lord sometimes take away a devotee's material possessions?
Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that the Lord sometimes removes a devotee's possessions as a special favor to increase their dependence, ultimately rewarding them far beyond common expectations.
Is the Supreme Lord considered good even when we face material difficulties?
Śrīla Prabhupāda affirms that God is absolute and unconditionally good; therefore, whether He appears to cheat us or openly reward us, His actions are always perfectly auspicious.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Supreme Lord's system of rewarding the living entities is a perfect manifestation of both divine justice and boundless mercy, perfectly responding to every soul according to their consciousness and desires. Whether one seeks material enjoyment, liberation, or pure devotional service, the Lord rewards accordingly, yet the true depth of these rewards shines only when one seeks His pure loving service. By completely surrendering to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one transcends temporary material gains and receives the supreme, eternal reward of blissful association in the spiritual realm.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category God's Rewarding. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.